Wilson, Harold William (Oral history)

description

Object description

British trooper and NCO served with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB and North West Europe, 1940-1945; NCO served with 6th Bn Royal Tank Regt in Italy, 1945-1947

Content description

REEL 1 Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 1939-1940: history of military service in family; training with 25 Squad at Catterick; physical fitness; discipline; conduct of sergeant and corporal; education; uniform; drill and physical training; driving training; gunnery training; lack of effects of outbreak of war on training programme.
REEL 2 Continues: attitude to outbreak of Second World War; nature of exercises; prevalence of inspections. Recollections of period as trooper with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB, 1940-1944: posting to unit at Farnham, 4/1940; initial impressions of unit; opinion of battledress; joining 4 Troop, C Sqdn at Runfold; number of Bren Gun Carriers in troop; map reading and minor tactic training; move to Northern Ireland; unloading Bren Gun Carriers at Belfast; training with infantry; opinion of Bren Gun; lack of tension in Northern Ireland.
REEL 3 Continues: move to Bessbrook; contacts with locals in Dungannon; types of vehicles used; training as wireless operator; characteristics of Bren Gun Carrier; causes of accident with Light Tank Mk VIB; attending driver mechanics course in Leeds; re-joining regiment at Whitby; mix of engines in Valentine tanks; troop camps from Whitby; large scale exercises; route marches; move to Brighton area; scope of exercises on Yorkshire Moors; issue of Crusaders and its characteristics.
REEL 4 Continues: character of Covenanter Tank; accident in Covenanter; off duty activities near Brighton; move to Bury St Edmonds area; amusing story of rats; leave and marriage, 1942; knee injury playing rugby; background to return to regiment; move to Rudston, near Bridlington; replacement of Covenanters with Sherman Tanks; ear injury during accident; medical treatment; formation of Troop and Squadrons in advance; composition of Troops; introduction of Sherman Firefly; live firing.
REEL 5 Continues: infantry training at Whitby; story of problems navigating without road signs; contrast in petrol and diesel engined Valentine Tanks; relations with infantry; Troop movements in advance to contact; formations determined by nature of terrain; importance of map reading and estimating distance; regiment reviewed by Winston Churchill; refusal of his request to join Parachute Regt; changes in commanding officers and personnel.
REEL 6 Continues: hay making in Brighton area; pattern of regimental moves; issue of Sherman Tanks; characteristics of Sherman Tank; tactical training on Yorkshire Moors; changes in crew; drivers not favoured for promotion; commissioning of NCOs; transfers of personnel to 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry; rations in field; arrangements for cooking and foraging; personality of Major Nairn and Sergeant Blason; extent of exercises on Yorkshire Moors.
REEL 7 Continues: move to Aldershot, realisation of role not being an amphibious one; embarkation on American LST. Recollections of operations as trooper with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in Normandy, 1944: disembarkation and move inland; first action between Rivers Odon and Orne; restricted view from driver's compartment; followed action on earphones; casualties; daily routine in reserve; in action at Hill 112.
REEL 8 Continues: start of Operation Goodwood; outbreak of firing and orders to bail out of tank; joining echelon in field of gliders; taking cover in overcrowded tank; wait for allocation to new tank; method of advance during Operation Goodwood; luck in never being wounded; Sergeant rapid return to action after destruction of tank; in action at Periers Ridge; disabling of tank with damaged sprocket; ability to deal with German Mk IV Tanks; disabling of tank by mine in hamlet; brief encounters with German tanks after Normandy.
REEL 9 Continues: unit losses during Operation Epsom; restricted vision as driver during action; use of troop larger at night; refuelling tank and fuel consumption; importance of track tension; terrain at Haut du Boscq; characteristics of Hill 112; waiting at start of Operation Goodwood; loss of tank on Periers Ridge during Operation Bluecoat; sleep and fatigue; arrangements for cooking and making tea.
REEL 10 Continues: supply of rations; washing arrangements; supplementing rations; evading contact during sudden encounters in forest; sight of Germans in field car; opening fire on German mounted troops; crossing River Seine. Recollections of operations as NCO with 2nd Fife and Forfar in North West Europe, 1944-1945: reception by French civilians in village; engaging Panther Tank in Amiens; meeting with Irish straggler from 1940; welcome from civilians; incident of bogie being damaged by shot and method of changing it; sight of skeletons of German horses in Belgium; advance to Antwerp; bailing out of tank after shots hit building above; attachment to infantry company headquarters.
REEL 11 Continues: his role taking messages to tanks; assignment to tank commanded by officer; advance from Antwerp to Venlo; German air attack on bridge being built by Royal Engineers; relations with Dutch civilians; losses of tanks near Deurne, Netherlands; gun mantle on tank damaged by richochet; incident of being engaged by Panther Tank; inspection of abandoned Panther Tank; role holding line in Venlo area; period spent in slit trench in orchard with NCO of King's Shropshire Light Infantry; participation in infantry patrol.
REEL 12 Continues: accommodation at Deurne, Netherlands; state of tanks and positions in orchard; move to Ypres for course on Comet Tank; Comet Tank in comparison with Sherman Tank; steering system on Comet Tank; driver visibility in Comet Tank; preparing tanks; move to Namur, 12/1944; capture of Germans dressed as Americans at Namur, 12/1944; in positions at bridge at Namur; return to Ypres; Christmas celebrations in Ypres, 12/1944; re-equipping with Comet Tanks and move to River Rhine; crossing River Rhine; contact with German civilian; crushing thumb on hatch of tank. Aspects of hospitalisation in GB, 1945: medical evacuation to Brussels and onto GB.
REEL 13 Continues: hospitalisation in Leeds; encounter with psychological affected soldiers; hospital uniform worn; symptoms of allergy; further details of evacuation to Brussels; rehabilitation training at Scarborough. Aspects of period as trooper with Holding Regt at Livermere Camp, Bury St Edmunds, GB, 4/1945-11/1945: initial posting to Catterick Camp; encounter with old troop sergeant; move to Livermere Camp; driving practice at Brandon; duties as batman.
REEL 14 Continues: officer's habits and routine; arrangement with farmer to plough field; story of confusion over officer's car keys during leave period; victory celebrations in Bury St Edmunds, 5/1945; relations with US troops in area; lack of anticipation of being sent to Far East. Aspects of period as NCO with 6th Royal Tank Regt in Italy, 1945-1947: on draft to Italy; journey from GB to Italy; reception on arrival with C Sqdn at Padua; effects of demobilisation and promotion to lance-corporal; reasons for signing on for extra service year; new intakes of troops.
REEL 15 Continues: attending Comet instructors course in Cairo; attitude to instruction; promotion to sergeant; standards of discipline; sporting activities; move to Udine area; conditions of unit Shermans; relations with Italians; further details of Comet instructors course in Egypt; standards of hygiene in Egypt; syllabus of course; reasons for decision to leave army.
REEL 16 Continues: role as Sergeants' Mess caterer. Aspects of period in holding unit awaiting demobilisation in GB, 1947: return to GB; move to Barnard Castle, 2/1947; lack of duties at Barnard Castle; barrack thief. Aspects of return to civilian life in GB from 1947: adjusting to civilian life; financial circumstances; placed on reserve as NCO with East Riding Yeomanry; contact with former members of Fife and Forfar Yeomanry; support from regimental association and attending reunions.

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